multisaku drabbles
by CDragon510
Summary: drabble dump of people i ship sakura with. shorts of 1k words or fewer itasaku, kisasaku, deisaku, sasosaku, kakasaku, shisaku, tobisaku, madasaku, hashisaku
1. itasaku - meet cute

**itasaku - meet cute (au)**

_WOOF!_

Itachi barely had time to react to the gigantic white cloud flying at him once he looked up from his phone. He braced himself as a dog tackled him, excitedly scratching and pawing his hoodie as it jumped up and down.

"Maya, down!"

The dog in question leapt up one final time, licked Itachi's face with a slobbery tongue, and then sat on the grass, its fluffy tail wagging back and forth expectantly.

"I'm so sorry, are you ok?"

Itachi looked up to see the owner of the dog and didn't respond. It wasn't that he didn't want to - he just couldn't. Her breathtakingly soft pink hair flowed behind her as she ran towards them, and bright emerald eyes captivated his. She was a splash of color against a background of grays, browns, and dull greens. He found it hard to look away - he was already utterly enamored. She stopped in front of him, breathless.

"Are you ok?" She repeated. "I'm still training my dog, so she's not the best at following instructions sometimes. I hope she didn't hurt you."

Her words disrupted his trance.

"I'm fine."

She gasped, seeing the wet patch of skin on his face and the mud that her dog had smeared all over his hoodie. "Oh no, Maya," she groaned as she fished a tissue out of her pocket and handed it to him. "I'm so sorry about your hoodie. I can pay for it to be cleaned."

Itachi shook his head. "We're at a dog park. It happens," he insisted.

As he methodically wiped the slobber away from his cheek, the girl in front of him kneeled down and ran her fingers through her dog's fur. It panted happily and tilted its head.

"I'm Sakura by the way. And you've already met my dog, Maya. She's pretty friendly, but I've never seen her barrel into a stranger like that. She must really like you."

Itachi lips quirked into a smile as he squatted down beside the pair. He scratched Maya behind the ears, and noticed a lovely shade of red bloom on the girl's cheeks as their fingers brushed past each other beneath the fur. "Nice to meet you, Sakura. I'm Itachi."

* * *

Shisui sprawled out on his couch with his dog Tadao lying beside him. "Thanks for watching him. Was he any trouble?"

"Not at all," Itachi replied. "I enjoyed the past few weeks with him."

"Oh good. Not gonna lie, I was worried you weren't the biggest dog person, but it seems like you guys got along." Shisui ruffled his dog's fur. "Speaking of which, it turns out I'm going to be out of town again. I hate to ask, but would you mind watching him? I know you're busy and all - "

"Don't worry about it," Itachi said. "I was going to offer anyway."


	2. deisaku - habit

**deisaku - habit (au)**

Sakura had been sitting at her desk, finishing her science homework, when the window by her bed had been cracked open, and a familiar mop of blonde hair popped through. The pencil in her hand stopped scratching notes onto the paper as she looked up.

"Deidara?"

He pulled himself through the window and flopped onto her bed wordlessly, his limbs spread eagled. A pained groan escaped his lips as he sank into her sheets and squeezed his eyes shut. Everything hurt. He heard her stand from her rolling chair and walk up next to him.

"We're in high school now. You need to stop getting into fights." Warm fingertips probed bruised and bloody skin before the familiar stench of rubbing alcohol filled the air.

"Couldn't help it, yeah. The guy just rubbed me the wrong way."

She snorted. "Everybody rubs you the wrong way."

Born with a penchant for fighting, Deidara knew he was bound to get into trouble. He laid there as she tended to his wounds one by one, his heart calming down from its adrenaline-fueled rush as her hands smoothed over his skin.

A few more moments of silence passed between them as Sakura bandaged a particularly bad cut on his arm.

"Do you enjoy getting your ass kicked?"

Blue eyes snapped open, annoyed. "I'll have you know that I won, yeah."

"Then when you win next time, do it more efficiently," she complained. "If you want me to keep patching you up, at least make it easier for me."

"Mhm," he dismissed, ignoring her eye roll.

Her words carried no real threat. There was no one they trusted and relied on more than each other. And as far as they knew, it would always be that way.


	3. kisasaku - chemistry

**kisasaku - chemistry**

Cold waves splashed at manicured toes, and the aroma of salt water and the musty earth wafted through the air. Sakura shivered despite the thick cloak on her shoulders, rubbing her hands up and down her goose-bumped arms as she observed the tall figure in front of her splash around in the frigid waves, perfectly at home. A massive black and red cape lay abandoned on the sand behind her.

"Come on in, the water's fine." Kisame flashed a toothy grin. He dipped a hand into the ocean and flicked the water at her. She dodged easily, letting the projectile hit his cape.

Unamused, she lifted an eyebrow. "I don't understand how you can stand there like that. It's so _cold_."

He shrugged, rolling up his pants so he could wade further into the water. "I guess I'm just hot or something."

"Pfft. Yeah, right," she muttered, kicking the wet sand.

In a flash, she felt her feet leave the ground, and she was suddenly seated in the crook of a very muscled arm belonging to a snarkily grinning Hoshigaki Kisame. With this proximity, she felt the heat rolling off his body as if it were a furnace. His fingers dug firmly into her thighs.

"What was that, kunoichi? I couldn't hear you from over there. The water's too loud."

She rolled her eyes, knowing he'd heard her perfectly well.

"Don't tell me you're losing your hearing, old man."

He craned his head forward, and she felt his breath on the outer shell of her ear. "You're going to have to speak louder, Pinky. Apparently I'm old."

The words that rumbled deeply in his chest sent shivers down her spine, and sharp teeth grazed the tip of her earlobes. Sakura's cheeks flushed, hoping the biting air would be her excuse for the color, but her rising temperature was a dead giveaway of how she truly felt. If possible, the smirk on his lips grew even wider once he pulled away.

"Ass."

Even if people saw Kisame as a hulking blue monster, he was nothing more than a pain to Sakura. Too bad she was stuck with him as a partner now.

And she was reminded of her bad luck as he pretended to heave her into the freezing water that swirled at his ankles, eliciting a frenzied yelp from the pink-haired girl.

"I'm going to kill you if you drop me in that water," she warned, her death grip on Kisame's forearm tightening.

He matched her dagger-filled glare with a cocky, shit-eating grin. "I'd like to see you try."


	4. sasosaku - teamwork

**sasosaku - teamwork (au)**

In less than an hour, they would be the victims of a mad scientist, subject to horrifying experiments and torture unless they escaped ... at least that's what the employee had said before locking them in the room where they currently stood. Sakura had thought that playing an escape room would be a great way for two brainy people to have some fun on a Saturday night, but at the moment, they were stuck on a puzzle, too stubborn to use a free hint, and were feeling rather frustrated.

"Sasori, I think we're supposed to solve this riddle to get the combination to that lock," she called, scanning a letter he had found earlier, noting how certain words were bolded, and how the bolded words were all body parts. He failed to respond, engrossed in the locked wooden chest that sat in the corner of the room.

She huffed quietly. He wasn't listening. She'd have to solve the puzzle alone.

After staring at the letter some more and getting nowhere, Sakura wandered around the room, opening drawers and looking under tables for any clues they'd missed, and lo and behold, she found one hidden behind a removable panel they hadn't noticed before. It was a diagram of the human body, and each body part was labelled with a corresponding number. She blinked as she put two and two together.

Quickly, she scrawled down the numbers she'd deduced from the letter and the diagram onto a notepad.

"Hey, I think I figured it out!" Sakura waved her notepad excitedly. "The combination came from the letter and a picture I found."

He continued to fidget with the lock, seemingly ignoring her words.

Annoyed, she crossed her arms. "You don't even know what numbers you need, why are you messing with the lock?"

As soon as those words left her mouth, she heard a tell-tale _click_. He looked at her nonchalantly, swinging the unfastened combination lock around his finger.

"You were saying?"

She slapped her forehead, realization dawning upon her. "I can't believe you just picked a lock in an _escape room_."

Sasori shrugged, opening the box and tossing her the gloves he'd found inside. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Yeah," she huffed indignantly, "but that's not the point of the game. Also, I had the answer."

He quirked an eyebrow. "I hardly see how that changes anything. I opened the lock when you found the combination anyway."

"But I wanted to open it by figuring it out, not cheating." Upset, she crossed her arms stood her ground, refusing to budge. They stared each other down for a bit.

"Tch." He took the gloves from her hands, returned them to the chest, put the lock back, and then scrambled the code. "Happy?"

A playful grin formed as she pecked him on the cheek. "Yep, thanks," Sakura replied, leaning over to input the combination she'd discovered. The lock unhinged, and she pushed the chest open triumphantly.

Sasori rolled his eyes, ignoring the warm spot on his cheek where she'd kissed him.


	5. narusaku - anticipation

**narusaku - anticipation**

Naruto was so nervous he could throw up. He'd seen the worst of war, came dangerously close to death several times, and underwent strict Hokage training under the fearsome Tsunade herself, but _now_ of all times, his heart was beating wildly in his chest. Even if he'd studied up on pregnancy and the birthing process, he was still apprehensive.

"Sakura, are you sure you're okay? I mean, we should go to the hospital -"

"No," she hissed, wincing in pain. "I told you before that I'll go when I'm ready."

"Yeah, but -"

"I'm fine," she snapped, rubbing her temples with one hand while forming a fist with the other. Naruto sat there, silent. Ever since her false contractions started in her second trimester, his best friend was stand-offish and irritable. Now that she was getting dangerously close to the delivery, she would switch from happy to sad to angry all within the span of a minute. Most of the time, she was angry, especially during her contractions. Nevertheless, Naruto was there with her through it all.

"Sorry," she amended at last, eyes downcast. She bit her lip. "I-I'm scared to go. This is all becoming so real."

He exhaled, choking out a disbelieving laugh. Sakura, who always put on a strong front, was scared. "Yeah, me too," he admitted, covering her hand with his and rubbing the simple wedding band on her finger. "But I'm so excited at the same time. We're going to be _parents_."

She squeezed his hand gently through the pain, managing a smile. As accomplished as they both were, with Sakura heading the hospital and Naruto serving as Hokage, raising a child seemed like the biggest challenge they'd faced so far. But much like the challenges they'd faced before as children, they'd face this one together.

Naruto, especially, was ready to pass on his knowledge to the mini-Naruto inside of Sakura.

"I mean, what if our kid is the next Hokage? They're gonna kick so much ass - "

"Not a good time, Naruto," she huffed, still in the middle of her contractions.

They sat in the comfort of their home, holding each other as she breathed through her pain. Her full figure relaxed at last.

"That was 5 minutes apart," he said, glancing at the clock on the wall. "We need to get you to the hospital."

She froze, panic flashing in her eyes.

Immediately, he pulled her stiff figure into a hug. "We'll get through this together. Baa-chan will also be there to help. You can even crush my hand if it hurts too much."

He rubbed her back as she breathed and relaxed, resting her cheek against his broad shoulders. Finally, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed.

"Dummy," she muttered, fisting his shirt, the hint of a smile creeping into her voice. "Ok, let's get this baby out."

She released her hold and carefully stood from the couch, waddling over to the door to slip on her shoes. Naruto followed close behind, ready to assist if necessary.

"Oh, and Naruto?"

He looked up at her.

"I'm holding you to that promise."

A nervous smile crept onto his lips. "Eh?"


	6. kakasaku - antics

**kakasaku/team7 - antics**

"It's not fair," Naruto pouted. "How come Sakura always gets to see Kakashi's face?"

"Shut it, dobe, they might hear you." Sasuke slapped his friend upside the head as they continued to peek into the window of Sakura's apartment.

With their female teammate's back to the window, they could barely discern anything from their tiny peephole in the curtains. But from what they could tell, their silver-haired mentor was sprawled out on the couch, head resting comfortably on Sakura's thighs.

While they weren't voyeurs or peeping-toms, the two couldn't pass up a chance to see Kakashi's bare face.

They watched, feeling a bit awkward, as Sakura leaned over and, as they imagined, planted a kiss on her lover's lips from above before she tossed her head back in laughter. Moments later, two long, muscular arms reached up and pulled her head down once more. Good thing the couple never displayed this kind of affection in public. Discomfort settled between the two observers as they became acutely aware that their knees were touching.

"Will you stop touching my leg?" Sasuke grumbled, shifting his away.

Naruto huffed. "I'm not trying to."

"Then try harder," the Uchiha hissed back, shooting him a dirty look.

"Hey, I -"

"Can I help you?"

The two stopped arguing for a moment to see Sakura standing in front of the window, having drawn back the curtains and lifted the glass. Her unamused stare sent chills crawling down their backs.

"H-hey, Sakura," Naruto smiled weakly.

She was dressed for bed, wearing an oversized shirt and shorts with a wet, translucent mask plastered over her face.

"Uh…"

"Well?" She crossed her arms.

"We changed our minds." Sasuke replied evenly. "We want to do spa night with you."

She blinked. "Why didn't you just say so? Come in, Kakashi's here, too."

Naruto and Sasuke glanced at each other. Was this their chance?

She opened the window wide enough for them to crawl through, and they approached the couch where Kakashi lay. His face was still obscured by the arm of the couch.

They leaned over, pulses drumming in their ears, as they finally caught a flash of white.

"Yo."

Kakashi sat up, hand in a casual wave. Naruto's excited grin drooped and the anticipation in Sasuke's gaze faded away. His entire face was covered by a glowing plastic mask that hid everything but his eyes. He was even more covered up than normal!

"...Sensei, what are you wearing?"

"Oh this?" He pointed at the shield-looking plastic on his face and smiled with his eyes. "It's supposed to make my skin more youthful. What was it called, Sakura?"

She settled on the couch beside him. "A light therapy mask. I just bought it."

She took one look at her teammates' crestfallen expressions and giggled. "Why do you guys look so disappointed?"

"Come on, Sakura," Naruto whined. "Can you please just tell us what Kakashi's face looks like?"

Kakashi and Sakura exchanged glances, and she immediately glowed red. She just sat there fidgeting with the hem of her oversized shirt.

"It's… um…uh..."

"Ah." Kakashi slipped a hand over her mouth and waved dismissively with the other. "That's classified."

Annoyed, Sasuke and Naruto nodded at each other. They needed to know.

* * *

A racket sounded through Konoha as two jounin-level shinobi ran along the roofs in hot pursuit of a streak of silver and pink. Only the moon lit their way.

"Sasuke, catch him! We're seeing his face once and for all!"

"Hn, way ahead of you."


	7. kisasaku - reciprocity

**kisasaku - reciprocity (au)**

"Come on, shorty, get a move on it." Kisame prodded the pink haired girl with his (literal) oversized sword. She turned and stuck her tongue out at her supposed savior, and then glared distastefully at the tight handcuffs around her wrists. A roar shook the caverns around them.

"I swear, if you look up my dress…"

He responded with a wicked grin. "Wouldn't dream of it, princess. Now climb. The dragon won't stay distracted forever."

She grumbled to herself and hoisted herself up the rope to freedom. Did her father really have to send _him _retrieve her from the dragon's lair? He did nothing but frustrate and tease her throughout the entire escape. She had to give her unconventional knight more credit though; he was getting a lot further than her past rescuers. By now, they'd usually be at the mercy of the fearsome dragon that had kidnapped her.

Below, Kisame caught a flash of thigh and smirked in appreciation. Even if rescuing princesses wasn't a typical job for a mercenary like him, the reward was too good to pass up. And now, as he could see, there were other … perks … to the job.

He readjusted his beat up cape and clambered up the rope after her, definitely not trying to catch more flashes of thigh. Finally, when a gust of hot wind blew through the cavern, her skirts flew up. But instead of more thigh, he caught an eyeful of baggy shorts.

"Really?"

Sakura jammed her foot in his face. "They're comfortable."

She pushed with a bit of force off his face to gain more distance on the rope, and just as she was nearing the exit, flames billowed out of a tunnel, and an enormous, ancient, leathery black dragon thundered through. Its beady eyes fixed on the escapees.

"Shit. I'll handle this." He glanced up at her and pointed an accusing finger. "Don't you dare think about escaping, sweet cheeks. I've got the only keys to your handcuffs."

He let go of the rope and hit the ground with a thud, immediately shifting into a crouch as his hands rested on the hilt of his sword. Kisame squared off with the snarling dragon, barely dodging out of the way of blade-like teeth.

He now understood why the reward had been so high.

* * *

Kisame slumped against the wall. The dragon's scales were impenetrable and its flames were too hot, turning his water magic into steam. It slithered closer, jaws unhinging to release another wave of lava. He steadied his sword, ready to make his final stand.

"Oh no you don't!"

To his surprise, the princess leapt down from the entrance of the cave and onto its serpentine neck, wrestling and choking the poor beast until its mouth lolled open.

"Hey, throw this in its mouth!"

She chucked a pouch at his face, which he caught reflexively.

Kisame turned it over in his hands. "What is it?"

"A sleeping agent I made. Hurry!"

Snapping himself back into action, Kisame dashed forward, jammed it down the beast's throat, and clamped its mouth shut as it thrashed wildly, kicking up dirt and dust. A few moments later, its muscles relaxed, and snoring echoed through the cave.

Sakura pretended to barf as Kisame finished off the dragon with a methodical strike through the eyes.

"You've got spunk, Pinky." He eyed her warily as she brushed soot off her dress. The chains of the handcuffs, which had been guaranteed to be near indestructible, had been smashed open at some point, most likely before her intervention. "Are you sure you're royalty?"

"Not if I can help it," she muttered, kicking the corpse for good measure.

"Why'd you come back for me then?" He nodded at her broken shackles. "You know I'm taking you back to the castle, right?"

"You saved me, so I saved you. It wouldn't be right to leave you there."

Kisame flicked the blood off his sword. "Hey, I like you, short stuff."

"You're not so bad yourself," she admitted, "even if you're kind of a weirdo."

His eyes twinkled in the dark. "I think we make a pretty good team. What do you think?"

* * *

"Nice to know you're finally taking up my offer."

Sakura glanced up at the shadowy figure crouched in her window.

"Give me a second," she replied, averting her attention back to her pen.

Frantic shouting and knocking could be heard from the door.

"Hurry up, they know I'm here."

"Hush, I'm almost done." She signed her name on the letter and sealed it with wax. She could only hope that her father would accept her apology. She was meant to be in the world as an adventurer, not as a figurehead in a stuffy castle. Carefully, she laid her letter on her bed and then climbed up onto the windowsill. Kisame's arm wrapped tightly around her waist. One of his feet dangled off the ledge.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

The tip of his cloak was the first thing the guards saw as they burst into her room.


	8. kakasaku - appreciation

**kakasaku - appreciation**

Kakashi poked the browning strips of bacon in the hot pan with a pair of chopsticks. While he normally wasn't one to cook, he was a quick learner, and it was a special occasion. Through his mask, he could smell the thick scent of grease and meat as he inspected them piece by piece. The bacon was ready. He slid the strips onto a plate laden with scrambled eggs and toast.

He lifted the plate and slowly opened the door to his room. And there lay Sakura, who was tangled in his sheets and snoring quietly. Mussed pink hair fanned out delicately. With the light streaming through the room, she rolled over onto her front and grumbled into the pillow.

After all the loss, pain, and grief the man had suffered throughout the years, he was thankful for these quiet moments with the woman he loved in his little corner of the world. She'd saved his life in more ways than he could count, and he would always show his appreciation when he could.

Carefully, he sat on the bed beside Sakura and gently rubbed her between her shoulder blades, fingers massaging along the bold lines of the Hatake clan symbol emblazoned on the back of her shirt.

His actions roused the girl, whose arms searched for his warmth. They loosely encircled his waist.

"Mmm, Kakashi? Is that bacon?"

He brushed soft pink locks out of her sleepy eyes and kissed her forehead.

"Yes," he replied quietly, watching as she sat up and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Crisp just the way you like it. Happy anniversary, Sakura."

_Thank you for all the happiness you bring me._


	9. shisaku- devotion

**shisaku - devotion**

"I'm alright, Shisui, I swear."

Sakura wriggled an arm out of the blankets cocooning her body to readjust the ice pack on her forehead. Shisui hovered over her, trying to fix the loosening blankets. Reddish-orange sunlight streamed through the window and right into her narrowed eyes.

"But Sakura, you're sick," he protested, drawing the curtains to block out the light. "What if you need to go to the hospital?"

"It's just a cold. It'll be gone in a few days." She sneezed, and in a flash, her nose was covered up with a tissue.

"Thanks," she muttered. Shisui tossed it into a trash can overflowing with other used tissues.

"I just need to get some sleep, that's all. And you should sleep at home instead of here in the meantime."

Shisui sat on the edge of her bed. "This _is_ home, Sakura. Besides, I can't leave you here alone."

"I don't want to get you sick," she replied, her voice softening. "You'll be back before you know it."

He rubbed her knuckles, weighing his options. "At least let a crow watch over you while I'm gone. Just so I know you're ok."

"I'm fine with that," she mumbled, sinking back into her pillow. Her delicate eyelids drooped lower and lower with each passing second, and each breath she took grew deeper.

"Good night, Sakura."

"G'night, Shisui."

She snuggled back into bed, and the last thing she remembered was the feeling of Shisui's lips on the back of her hand.

* * *

The sky was pitch black when Sakura next woke up. Her head throbbed, her throat was unpleasantly scratchy, and her stomach was growling. It felt especially strange to wake up alone in a silent room; normally, she'd be greeted by deep snoring and a heavy arm slung over her waist.

A crow outside of her window tapped on the glass. In its beak was a bag. Groggily, she pulled the window open, and a pleasant aroma livened her senses. The crow hopped in as she extracted the package from it. A handwritten note was taped to a box inside.

_I stayed a bit longer and heard you talking about okonomiyaki in your sleep. Your favorite store was closed, so I cooked some. I hope it's not too salty. Get well soon._

Sakura couldn't help but smile. Even though Shisui could be such a worry wart sometimes, it was endearing. She pressed a kiss to the scrap of paper.

"Thank you, Shisui," she whispered. "I love you, too."


	10. madasaku - violence

**madasaku - violence (au)**

"Hey, what's a cute girl like you doing alone on a Saturday night?"

Sakura glanced up to see a man break off from the crowd of festival-goers and saunter towards her. His clothes reeked of booze and cigarettes, and the hungry look in his eyes was unmistakable.

Unimpressed, she returned her focus to the painful hangnail on her thumb. It stung with each poke.

"What's with the cold shoulder, sweetie? Play with me, will ya?"

"No thanks," she replied curtly, quite annoyed.

"Aw come on, lighten up." The nuisance stepped past the boundaries of her personal space. Sakura turned her head to the side to inhale the fresh night air instead of his stench.

"Leave me alone."

"Come on, I'll take you somewhere fun."

Eyes flashing with steel, Sakura crossed her arms and glared at him.

"No."

Too stubborn to give up, the man made a grab for her arm.

She shifted her body accordingly. She formed a fist, and her heels dug into the ground. He was going to get punched into next week.

Time slowed as his hand grew closer and closer.

But the offending appendage never touched her skin. A blur of black shot forth, halting its progress.

Sakura didn't even flinch when a murderous aura began radiating from behind her.

"Touch her and you die."

Madara stepped forward and towered over the man, who shrunk in horror at the bloodthirsty look in his eyes and his oppressive aura. Like a snake, Madara's fingers constricted around the man's wrist, eliciting a pained yelp.

"Get lost."

The man stumbled backwards when his wrist was freed, landing on his rear end.

"Yes sir, sorry sir."

Quick as lightning, he turned around and disappeared into the crowd, leaving a very angry Sakura alone with Madara.

"I should've castrated him," she seethed. "And you!" She jabbed a finger at Madara's chest. "I don't appreciate the interference. He deserved to be hit."

The jab must have hurt, but if it did, he didn't seem to mind. Rather, Madara scooped her hand in his own and pressed a loving kiss to her knuckles. "Agreed. But _you_ don't deserve to be dirtied by him."

She rolled her eyes, though with the way he was caressing her hands, she knew his words carried a dark promise. Madara wasn't one to forgive such transgressions easily, after all. He was doting on her all the time, so it was easy to forget that he could be cold, calculating, and vengeful.

"I better not read a suspicious story in the papers tomorrow."

He smirked. "We'll see about that."


	11. tobisaku - belief

**tobisaku - belief**

The Nidaime didn't bother looking up from his paperwork when he heard a knock on the door. Even without asking for a name, he knew who it was.

"Enter."

The door creaked open.

"Hokage-sama, you've been in this office for almost the entire day. That can't be healthy."

Sakura approached his desk, hands resting on her hips. Tobirama kept his eyes firmly connected with hers. Even to this day, she insisted on wearing the foreign clothes she'd arrived in, and they tended to hug her curves in the most distracting ways possible.

"There is still work to be done," he replied. As she tucked her hair behind her ears, he wanted to remind her that she was welcome to call him by his name.

"At least take a break," she chided, leaning over to see what he was working on, "or let me help you."

Outside, the sun dipped into the horizon.

"That is acceptable," he sighed, motioning for her to pull up a chair. As he'd discovered, she was incredibly intelligent and extremely reliable. Most notably, though, Sakura loved to work. She sat down and immediately began to read, skimming and sorting through the papers with practiced ease. Where she'd learned to process paperwork with that kind of speed, Tobirama had no idea.

In fact, he had very little clue as to where she even came from; it was a subject she preferred to avoid ever since patrol first found her half-dead in the woods, lost, disoriented, and overcome with grief. When he'd tried to investigate her background, she'd shut down, staring blankly at the wall. Even now, tears threatened to spill whenever the topic came up, and she would smile a bittersweet smile. If asked, her response was always the same.

_"It's so close, yet so far away,"_ she would sigh. Tobirama remembered the hours she spent in the library upon her sudden arrival, voraciously reading whatever she could get her hands on. In a few years, she'd all but memorized every single book in the town. He recalled the nights she disappeared into the woods, only to return the next morning with a hollow look in her eyes, tear-stained cheeks, and an exhausted chakra reserve. It was very clear she was trying to go home. When Tobirama finally offered to take her there, she just shook her head and said it was futile. She couldn't go back. Not because she didn't want to - she just couldn't. She looked miserable. He didn't dare pry any further, but he offered his company if she needed it.

Surprisingly, though, her mood seemed to take a turn for the better after that conversation. Tobirama suspected she'd undergone a revelation of some sort. Sakura began mingling with the villagers more and became involved with the Hokage's office. And most importantly, she finally allowed herself to smile. Just over a year ago, after nearly 3 years since her arrival, Sakura had shown him a genuine, happy smile when he agreed to help her in establishing a medic-nin training program. Like himself, she was happiest while serving the village.

It was after he'd seen her true smile that he decided he had something new in his life to protect. The image of her innocent, gentle smile was burned forever in his memory. It'd been a long journey from her gloomy expressions to ones of life and joy. And even if she didn't like to talk about her past, he believed she was a kind person at heart.

"Tobirama?"

He blinked, and looked up at Sakura, who had stopped working and was staring at him inquisitively. Shy fingertips ghosted over his own as her cheeks glowed a pleasant shade of red.

"You look tired. Shall I brew some tea?"

"Ah. Yes please," he affirmed, eyes lowering to focus on his paperwork once more. He listened as she hummed quietly to herself while opening a box of tea leaves. No matter what, he needed to protect her smile. Under his care, she would suffer no more. It was an oath Tobirama swore to himself to uphold. And he always fulfilled his promises.


	12. hashisaku - exhibition

**hashisaku - exhibition (au)**

"You didn't forget anything, right?" Sakura watched as Hashirama slammed the trunk of the car shut. In a few minutes, he'd be leaving for the other side of the world. A bittersweet smile tugged at her lips; the house would feel a lot emptier without his larger-than-life presence, but at least he wouldn't be gone for too long. A week would pass in the blink of an eye, and it'd be like he'd never left. Besides, she had plenty of studying and schoolwork to keep herself busy.

"Well… as a matter of fact, I did," he said. Before she could react, she found herself being yanked forward.

"Hashirama, people are watching!" Sakura squealed as he pulled her in by the waist and caught her in an open-mouthed kiss. She couldn't help but blush madly, knowing that they were out in public.

"Let them watch," he murmured, applying a firm grip at the small of her back. Her body melted into his, and she closed her eyes, shutting out the looks of curious passerby's.

With the way he was cupping her chin, Sakura knew he wanted more. She responded eagerly, tugging on his tie to bring him closer. Who was she kidding? She was going to miss him so much, and they'd be deprived of each other's touch for some time.

And there they stood, wrapped up in their own little world on the airport's drop-off curb. But it couldn't last forever.

Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.

As much as Sakura enjoyed Hashirama's affections, the incessant buzzing of his cell phone told her time was up. Someone was undoubtedly calling to ask him why he wasn't at the gate yet. Begrudgingly, she broke contact and placed a hand on his chest, creating distance.

"What was that for," he whined. His fingers interlaced behind her back.

"Hashirama, you're going to miss your flight," she protested, blocking his puckered lips with her palms. "You need to go."

He looked like a kicked puppy as he reluctantly released her and gathered up his coat and suitcase.

"Don't look so sad," she giggled. It wasn't as if they'd never see each other again. "It's just a week."

"The meeting's just a formality," he mused, face in serious thought. "I could probably get someone to cover this trip for me."

Sakura crossed her arms. "What kind of CEO plays hooky for his own business meeting?"

Thoroughly defeated, he hung his head low and kicked a pebble on the ground.

With a good natured laugh and a roll of her eyes, she stood on her tip toes and pressed a final, chaste kiss on his lips.

"You'll be back before you know it. Now get going before your assistant starts getting mad at you."

"Okay," he said at last, unashamedly sulking. Hashirama began walking towards the entrance. But before he entered past the sliding glass doors, he stopped in his tracks and turned around.

"Are you sure you won't be lonely?"

Sakura rubbed her temples in exasperation. He wasn't making this easy.


	13. itasaku - revelation

**itasaku - revelation**

Something was up with Itachi. Sasuke could feel it in his bones. Even though the younger Uchiha couldn't quite put his finger on it, his normally expressionless brother was a little different these days. When he'd asked Shisui if he'd noticed anything different, his cousin had simply laughed it off.

"Why don't you follow him and see for yourself?"

* * *

_He's back,_ Sasuke thought, eyes following his brother's form as it crossed through the village's entrance. Careful to keep his own chakra cloaked, he tailed Itachi from the roofs. As suspected, there was unusual behavior. Instead of going to the Tower like normal, he made a beeline for … the hospital? Even if Sasuke wasn't close, he could tell that his brother was unharmed. So what was he doing? He crouched low on a nearby roof and watched as Itachi rounded the building, jumped to an open window in the side of the building, and slipped in.

Wait… wasn't that… Sasuke squinted, fearing that activating his Sharingan might draw his brother's attention. What he saw was shocking; he had to do a double take. Itachi was in was Sakura's office!

But why was his brother looking for Sakura?

Digging into his memories, Sasuke couldn't think of the two interacting more than a few times, yet there he was, sitting on a couch in her office, legs casually crossed. Moments later, the door to the office opened, and in stepped Sakura with an annoyed look on her face. She stood in front of Itachi, running a hand through her hair, but after exchanging a few words with the Uchiha, she sighed and stepped forward between his legs, holding her glowing hands to his temples. It seemed like a normal checkup at first, but as Sasuke squinted even harder, he noticed that his brother was actually leaning into her touch, and had placed his hands on her hips. And Sakura didn't look the least bit angry that she was being held.

The whole situation was nothing but surreal, yet he couldn't refute what he was seeing with his own two eyes. His jaw hung slack, and the tiles beneath his fingers cracked under the pressure.

Just as Itachi's head turned, Sasuke ducked. He hadn't gotten caught, right? That wasn't likely; Sasuke had maintained good distance and cover.

After witnessing his brother show tenderness to his female teammate, questions arose. How long had that been going on for? How far had they gone? Who started what? These were questions even Sasuke hesitated to ponder. They looked content in each other's arms - he could only imagine. Moments later, he'd slipped off the roof and hurried home.

* * *

Sasuke was thoroughly uncomfortable. He was trapped at the dinner table with his family and Naruto and Sakura. His mother had invited his teammates for dinner, claiming that it'd been so long since she'd seen them. And, as he'd dreaded, Itachi took his seat beside Sakura. They greeted each other politely, and Itachi made small talk with her.

A jolt of electricity sparked at Sasuke's fingertips. His brother wasn't known for small talk.

To make it worse, they both went for the same pair of chopsticks at once, and their hands bumped into each other's. Sasuke stared at the contact their skin made. Was he going crazy? The brush of their hands had lasted a fraction of a second too long, and what seemed like amusement glinted in Itachi's eyes.

"What's wrong otouto?"

Sasuke had unknowingly activated his sharingan.

"N-nothing," he replied, refocusing on his rice. Everyone was staring.

_He knows._ Itachi had most definitely sensed him watching earlier, and Sasuke was wise enough to keep his mouth shut about the subject.

Thankfully, the rest of dinner was rather uneventful, if uneventful was Sasuke jumping out of his skin every time Itachi's elbow touched Sakura's.

* * *

After dinner, Naruto and Sakura had left, and his parents had retired to their bedroom, leaving Sasuke alone with his brother in the kitchen.

"Aniki."

"Otouto."

Sasuke just stood in front of his brother, grasping for words. Itachi, on the other hand, sat there with a bemused smirk.

"When?"

"After the mission last year."

Sasuke knew exactly which one he was talking about. It was the only mission in which Itachi and Sakura had been sent out together.

"Are you serious? About her, I mean."

"What do you think?"

"I…" Sasuke gulped. "I don't know."

What was he supposed to think when he'd just found out his brother and teammate were dating?

"Foolish brother." Itachi rose, setting Sasuke back by a step. His tone was heavy. "I never do anything by halves."

His fingers tapped against Sasuke's forehead, and a moment later, he was gone. Probably out to go see Sakura. The silent warning to keep their relationship a secret hung in the air.

Defeated, Sasuke sat down on the couch and groaned. What had he gotten himself into?


	14. sasosaku - reversal

**sasosaku - reversal (au)**

"Absolutely not."

Sasori watched Sakura lift the calico kitten out of the beat up box and cuddle it in her arms. Gently, as if it might break, her finger stroked the top of its fuzzy forehead.

"But, Sasori, it's just a baby. We can't leave it out here." She squealed in excitement as it clung to her sweatshirt and purred. "Look, it likes me."

"No."

"Oh come on, you can't say no to something as cute as this."

Sasori lifted an eyebrow as Sakura cupped the kitten in her hands and lifted it to his face. The animal looked back at him innocently. A curious paw stretched forward to bat his nose.

Pets were an ephemeral thing; Sasori had never really understood the appeal. Their lifespans were pathetically short and were impractical in every sense. But knowing his headstrong girlfriend, she wasn't going to take no for an answer - at least to keeping the kitten until they found somewhere else for it to live.

"Fine. Only for tonight, though."

* * *

It was now day 17 of caring for the kitten. Begrudgingly, Sasori had agreed to letting the kitten stay longer after they discovered it had a few health problems. At Sasori's insistence, Sakura wasn't to come up with a name for the animal, so she just resorted to calling the thing "Kitty." He'd tried to avoid the kitten as much as possible, but the blasted animal liked to follow him around. It wasn't too hard to ignore, though.

"Sasori, Kitty needs to take her medication soon." Her voice called for him from down the hall.

He continued to work on his wooden sculpture.

"Oh."

"Can you do it?"

"I'm working."

"Please? I'm about to take a call, and she needs to take the pills on time."

With a huff, he glanced down at the furball at his feet, which had woven itself in between his legs. He scooped it up and carried it out to the living room, where he reached for a bottle of pills. Sasori supposed the cat was rather lucky to have been found by Sakura. As a vet, she had all the remedies for the infection it'd contracted while living on the streets, and she was able to keep a close eye on its health.

Sasori seated himself on the floor and read the label on the medicine bottle. The instructions looked easy enough, and he'd seen her perform the task numerous times. The only problem was the cat. They were finicky creatures by reputation, and he was almost certain he'd get scratched sooner or later.

The kitten head-butted his chest despite his suspicious gaze.

For an animal, it was rather docile, only offering slight resistance as his fingers held its mouth open to push a pill into its throat. Swiftly, he removed his fingers, and the kitten swallowed the pill, hacking and coughing it down for good measure.

But instead of turning on him, as Sasori had predicted, it went back to batting at the drawstrings on his hoodie and wriggling around in his lap. Staring blankly, Sasori leaned an elbow on the coffee table and observed the creature as it stretched its legs and curled itself into a ball. Without thinking, his hand scratched at its head for a few moments, and before he knew it, the moments turned into minutes. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he had to admit that the animal wasn't the worst.

A slight cough interrupted the comfortable silence in the living room.

"What?"

Sakura had been leaning against the doorframe and watching the pair.

"Nothing," she hummed as she curled up next to him and stroked Kitty's fur. "Nothing at all."


End file.
